Tool for cleaning particles from wafer stage

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage, comprising: a main body, a driving device, a power supply, and a cleaning module composed of a rotary base, a turntable, and an elastic member, wherein the main body is designed to be extendable, having a accommodating space disposed at the front thereof, and the driving device is arranged in the accommodating space for driving the cleaning module, and the power supply is coupled to the driving device for providing power to the same. Moreover, the rotary base is connected to the turntable by way of the elastic member, so that the driving device can drive the turntable to rotate for cleaning the wafer stage. A plurality turntables of different characteristic can be selected to be used in the cleaning module of the invention with respect to different cleaning requirement and environment.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a cleaning tool, and more particularly, to a tool for cleaning particulars from wafer stage.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Particles generated on the wafer stage of a mask aligner are the cause of a variety of defocus problems during subsequent lithography steps. Once a wafer defocus had happened, the process for fabricating wafer must be stopped immediately to remove the particles on the wafer stage.

The most common method used for cleaning particles from a wafer stage is substantially a manual operation of using a none-duct cloth soaked with alcohol to wipe the wafer stage illuminated by a flashlight. However, it is generally difficult and troublesome for a maintenance personnel to manually wipe the wafer stage in an ordinary 12-inch semiconductor equipment, since there are usually many delicate devices disposed in the proximity of the wafer stage, and there is only a limited space for the wiping operation, in addition to that, the wafer stage is usually being arranged deep inside the semiconductor equipment. As the consequence, even the maintenance person proceeds with the wiping operation with extreme cautious, there is still a high probability to come into contact with those delicate devices and thus damage the semiconductor equipment.

In view of the above description, the conventional method for cleaning particles from wafer stage has at least the following shortcomings;

-   -   (a) There may exists several dead corner that are not accessible         by the conventional method for cleaning particles from wafer         stage since there is only a limited space for the wiping         operation in a semiconductor equipment and the wafer stage is         usually being arranged deep inside the semiconductor equipment.     -   (b) The yield of wafer manufacturing is affected by poor         cleaning quality of the conventional cleaning method since the         cleaning quality is low due to the complexity and difficulty of         the cleaning procedure that are the cause of the insufficient         illumination provided by the conventional cleaning method.     -   (c) The manual wiping operation adopted by the conventional         cleaning method will have difficult to remove those particles         with high viscosity, such that the yield of wafer manufacturing         is reduced.     -   (d) Particles can not be remove rapidly using the conventional         cleaning method since there are many delicate devices disposed         in the proximity of the wafer stage so that it is difficult to         perform the manual wiping without coming into contact with any         one of the same and causing damage to the semiconductor         equipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage, which is adapted for being used in a limited space with respect to the positioning of the wafer stage for increasing the convenience of cleaning the wafer stage so as to clean the wafer stage rapidly and sufficiently.

To achieve the abovementioned object, the present invention provides a small and extendable cleaning tool, capable of cleaning any location of the wafer stage without the worry of dead corners, which is further equipped with a suitable cleaning module enabling the tool to be able to sufficiently removal particles on the wafer stage.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the tool for cleaning particulars from a wafer stage comprises:

-   -   a main body, composed of a handle section and a cleaning module         section disposed with respect to the handle section;     -   a driving device, disposed inside the main body;     -   a power supply, disposed inside the main body and coupled to the         driving device; and     -   a cleaning module, disposed inside the main body and coupled to         the driving device;     -   wherein, the cleaning module is driven by the driving device to         clean particles from the wafer stage.

In another preferred embodiment, the tool of the invention is further equipped with a illuminating device for enable the particles deposited on the wafer stage to be easily spotted so as to accelerate the speed of cleaning procedure. In addition, the cleaning module of the invention utilizes the rotating of the E-chunk for cleaning particles from the wafer stage, however, a plurality cleaning modules of different characteristic, such as electrostatic, vacuum suction, and so on, can be selected as the cleaning module of the invention with respect to different cleaning requirement and environment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration showing a tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the method applying the tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

For your esteemed members of reviewing committee to further understand and recognize the fulfilled functions and structural characteristics of the invention, several preferable embodiments cooperating with detailed description are presented as the follows.

Please refer to FIG. 1, which a schematic illustration showing a tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. As seen in FIG. 1, the tool for cleaning particulars from a wafer stage comprises: a main body 100, composed of a handle section 100 b and a cleaning module section 100 a disposed with respect to the handle section 100 b; a driving device 101, disposed inside the main body 100; a power supply 102, disposed inside the main body 100 and coupled to the driving device 101; and a cleaning module 103, disposed inside the main body 100 and coupled to the driving device 101; wherein the cleaning module 103 is driven by the driving device 101 to clean particles from the wafer stage. Moreover, the overall length of the main body 100 is not fixed, for a extendable rod can be used to connect the handle section 100 b and the cleaning module section 100 a enabling the tool to have an adjustable length, such that the tool is adapted for cleaning every location of the wafer stage without the worry of dead corners.

In addition, an accommodating space 1001 is arranged inside the cleaning module section 100 a for receiving the driving device 101, which is used for driving the cleaning module 103. Generally, the driving device 101 is substantially a motor. The power supply 102 is coupled to the driving device 101 for providing power to the same. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the power supply 102 is substantially a battery or battery set since the power consumption of motor can be sustained by using batteries. The use of batteries can save a complex circuit for providing power using another kind of power source that it is cost-saving and convenient.

Since the driving device 101 and the power supply is disposed for providing power to the cleaning module 103, it is preferred as shown in FIG. 1 that the driving device 101 is disposed in the accommodating space 1001 for connecting to the cleaning module 103 directly, and the power supply 102 is disposed in the handle section and is coupled to the driving device 101. However, the driving device 102 and the power supply 102 can be arranged as require at any location inside the main body 100 where the driving device 101 is coupled to the power supply 1032 by mechanical devices.

The cleaning module 103 is coupled to the driving device 101 such that the cleaning module 103 is driven by the driving device 100 for perform a cleaning operation. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cleaning module 103 performs the cleaning operation by a rotating manner, where the cleaning module 103 is consisted of a rotary base 1031, an elastic member 1032 and a turntable 1033. As seen in FIG. 1, the rotary base 1031 is connected to the driving device 101 and the turntable 1033 is connected to the rotary base 1031 so that the resilience generated by the elastic member 1032 disposed between the rotary base 1031 and the turntable 1033 can counter the stress generated during the cleaning operation of rotating manner, and thus the damage of wafer stage can be avoid. Moreover, the power provide by the driving device 101 forces the turntable 1033 to rotate so as to remove particles from the wafer stage. The cleaning module 103 of the embodiment utilizes the rotating of the turntable 1033 for cleaning particles from the wafer stage, however, a plurality cleaning modules of different characteristic, such as electrostatic, vacuum suction, and so on, can be selected as the cleaning module of the invention with respect to different cleaning requirement and environment.

In another preferred embodiment, an illuminating device 104 is further coupled to the cleaning module section 100 a which is used as the light source for the cleaning operation. The preferred object of adding the illuminating device 104 is to illuminate the position where it is being cleaned. As seen in FIG. 1, the switch 105 is used for controlling the driving device 101, and the switch 106 is used for controlling the illuminating device 104. As for the operating of the switches 105, 106 is familiar to those skilled in the art and will not be described further hereinafter. In addition, the positioning of the switches 105, 106 can be varied as require and are not limited by the embodiment.

Please refer to FIG. 2, which is a flow chart showing the method applying the tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. The method for cleaning particles from a wafer stage comprises the steps of:

-   -   step 200: detecting particles deposited on the wafer stage, that         is, particles is detected while a defocus is happened during a         lithography process enabling an operator to perform an         examination procedure;     -   step 201: measuring the flatness of the wafer stage so that the         operator can spot the location of the particles;     -   step 202: proceeding with a clean procedure by turning on the         switches 105, 106 to activate the cleaning tool of the invention         as seen in FIG. 1, while the operator can select a suitable         turntable 1033 according to the characteristics of the particles         spotted;     -   step 203: making an evaluation to determine whether the cleaning         process is complete by measuring the flatness of the wafer         stage; if the flatness is still beyond a predefined level, the         flow proceeds back to step 202;     -   step 204: stopping the cleaning procedure while the measured         flatness meets with t the predefined level.

To sum up, the present invention discloses a small and extendable tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage, which is equipped with a illuminating device and has a changeable cleaning module capable of adapting to different cleaning environments. Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible for use in numerous other embodiments that will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. This invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A tool for cleaning particles from a wafer stage, comprising: a main body, comprising a handle section and a cleaning module section disposed with respect to the handle section; a driving device, disposed inside the main body; a power supply, disposed inside the main body and coupled to the driving device; and a cleaning module, disposed inside the main body and coupled to the driving device.
 2. The tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising an accommodating space arranged inside the cleaning module section for receiving the driving device.
 3. The tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the length of the main body is extendable.
 4. The tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising a switch coupled to the power supply.
 5. The tool as recited in claim 4, wherein the switch is arranged at the handle section.
 6. The tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the driving device is substantially a motor.
 7. The tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the power supply is substantially a battery set.
 8. The tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the cleaning module further comprises: a rotary base; a turntable, coupled to the rotary base; and an elastic member, disposed between the rotary base and the turntable.
 9. The tool as recited in claim 1, further comprising an illuminating device connected to the cleaning module section.
 10. The tool as recited in claim 9, further comprising a switch arranged at the handle section for controlling the illuminating device.
 11. The tool as recited in claim 10, wherein the cleaning module performs a cleaning procedure by an electrostatic suction manner.
 12. The tool as recited in claim 1, wherein the cleaning module performs a cleaning procedure by a vacuum suction manner. 